'taming' a heifer

[Brad18cl]

i was wondering if anyone had any good tips on how to tame a heifer. shes about 5 months now and was penned up to dry the mother. im looking to keep her as more of a pet and am in need of suggestions

 

[dun]

Feed her a little grain several times a day, give her a companion and ait in the pen and read to her. Just keep your voice calm while you're doing it.

 

[Brad18cl]

thanks, ill try that

 

[kscowboy]

I tried that talking calm to her the other day and the wife just gave me "the look" , better try something else !diamonds , cash....

 

[Brad18cl]

:lol2:

 

[FarmGirl10]

I agree with dun. One of the best ways to get them to like you, is for them to realize that you bring the food. And like dun said talk calmly to her and do not make sudden movements.

 

[saltbranch]

If you have her in a pen, should be easy. Just bring her feed, slow movements, low voice interaction. Give it couple months.

 

[john250]

I'm wondering which books Dun recommends reading to the heifer?

 

[dun]

I'm wondering which books Dun recommends reading to the heifer?

I usually read them the weekly trader paper.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

I've done the reading thing with success. Need a small pen though

 

[TREY-L]

Let her start eating a little grain out of a bucket sitting on the ground with you in the pen with her. I like to shake the bucket before I set it down on the ground (this will come in handy later if you accidentally leave the gate open and you have 40 cows roaming up and down the road eating all your neighbors flowers). Start moving closer and closer to the bucket, either sitting or kneeling on the ground and talk softly to her while she is eating. After a few days of this you should be able to hold the bucket propped up on your knee and let her eat out of it. Once she starts doing that gently scratch her on the neck, and when she gets used to you scratching her on the neck with you holding the bucket on your knee, then sit the bucket on the ground between your feet and start scratching her between the shoulder blades (they really love that). Once she's built up enough trust in you to let you start scratching her on the back its all down hill from there. Remember all this is really dependent on her attitude, some take right to it and some are "flighty", just be patient and keep working with her, she'll come around.

I have about 8 that are absolutely rotten, all my neighbors laugh at me out there scratching on my cows.

Cows aren't as stupid as most people think, they'll have you trained before you know it!

 

[Calman]

I may be different but I don't want a cow for a pet.No1 I don't want no animal bigger than I am for a pet.
They're dangerous.No2 when they are a pet they are very hard to work. Can you imagine trying to get 50 or so pet cattle into the working pen. I just want them to come to me for feed not a back rub.

Cal

 

[jw]

There is little more precious when that young heifer realizes you want to be her friend and finally lets you pet her and love on her. That being said, when she turns about two years old and still wants to sit in your lap while you are squatted working on a fence, it does get a little hard to continue to work. Or when she still wants to bump her head on your body to play, well that can hurt also. But she doesn't understand, because she is still just your pet. Just be careful, because you will get hurt, but remember she is hurting you out of love!!

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

I do all the above and before long I can touch em all over. I recommend first introducing a stock stick much like you do with show cattle. Rub it all over her and get her accustomed to being touched all over. Once she is comfortable with that then start petting her with your hands. I have several that I could probably ride if I had half a mind to. They will eat alfalfa cubes outta my hand and let me love on em.